Owning it

Health and Human Services Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, on portions of the health care bill that suck: Don't blame me...

Dozens of politicians got elected on Nov. 2 by calling the health care overhaul laws passed in March a "government takeover," but its implementer-in-chief characterized the laws as a public-private partnership with the business community in a speech Monday.

Speaking to the National Business Coalition on Health's annual meeting, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said most of the key concepts in the unpopular law originated in private business' attempts to cut health care costs and improve worker health. And she asked for continued help.

"We know that the business community is among the best innovators when it comes to prevention and wellness, and we want to give you the support you need to build on those efforts and share those best practices," she said.

(italics, ours)

In a horribly lame attempt to shift blame, did she more or less just admit right there that it was lobbyists that wrote large portions of the bill?

And then immediately after throwing them under the bus for doing such a lousy job, she actually solicits more help from these same people. Unreal.

Yep, we're in the very best of hands.


P.S. Related: Obama's pick to head up Medicare and Medicaid, Dr. Donald Berwick and his love affair with the collapsing-under-its-own-weight British healthcare system will be up on the Hill tomorrow for hearings